


Bark at a Crow

by Violsva



Category: Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: 221B Ficlet, Book: The Sign of the Four, Dogs, F/M, Gen, Watson's Woes July Writing Prompts 2016, mentions of animal death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-02
Updated: 2016-08-02
Packaged: 2018-07-28 19:26:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7653772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Violsva/pseuds/Violsva
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My dogs have never had any tracking ability whatsoever, to Holmes’ disgust.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bark at a Crow

**Author's Note:**

> For Watson's Woes [August Amnesty Prompt #1](http://watsons-woes.livejournal.com/1633524.html).

I found that there was no place in the stories I wanted to write for dogs - or at least, for my dogs, which have never had any tracking ability whatsoever, to Holmes’ disgust. So my bulldog got one mention, before I had realized this, and no more.

Two years after his death, I met my Mary, and a dog happened to be involved in the solution to her case. She liked dogs, and liked the story of Toby’s search just as much. We considered buying the hound, but Sherman refused to sell him at any price.

He did, however, have puppies, one of which showed no aptitude for his grandsire’s work at all. “I haven’t the heart to drown him,” Sherman confessed. “Anyone else would have. He’s yours for two shillings.”

“He’s _lovely_ ,” said Mary.

“Holmes will be disappointed,” I observed. “But we’ll take him.”

“Mr. Holmes can have use of Toby for the asking, and he knows it,” said Sherman. “Take Boyo there.”

Boyo seemed a bit surprised at first by the increase in space and lack of company of the other animals in Mr. Sherman’s menagerie, but he has settled in quite well. It is pleasant to come home to my wife stitching and a dog on the rug in front of the fire, perhaps worrying at a bone.


End file.
